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Seeming to grow in popularity every year, the Barcelona Marathon – Marató Barcelona – can draw more than 15,000 people to the streets of this beautiful city, and can make for a wonderful way for first-time visitors to...
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Barcelona Marathon
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Seeming to grow in popularity every year, the Barcelona Marathon – Marató Barcelona – can draw more than 15,000 people to the streets of this beautiful city, and can make for a wonderful way for first-time visitors to check out Barcelona’s iconic sights.

Held every March to capitalize on routinely pleasant spring weather, the Barcelona Marathon has been a staple for both locals and tourists since the late 1970s; in fact, officials estimate almost half of the annual participants are from abroad.

The Barcelona Marathon route typically begins at Plaça d'Espanya near the famed Montjuïc hill, winds out past Gaudí’s stunning Sagrada Família temple, cruises the city’s pristine beaches, and even tours the historic old city before finishing back at Plaça d'Espanya.

Although the Barcelona Marathon route does include some decent elevation gain over the course of the run, most of the inclines are quite slow and long, making it a good marathon for newbies looking to tackle their first official 26.2-mile race without having to summit Everest-quality hills.

Additionally, seven pacemakers normally take part in the race, setting an even pace for runners to follow – from a heart-stopping sub-three pace to a more “relaxed” four-and-a-half-hour one.

ExpoSports, a running expo in Barcelona, is held the same week of the run, so even folks who don’t plan on participating can check out more than a hundred booths stocked with great running gear and other assorted goodies.

Barcelona Marathon fees are tied to the total number of participants, so the race will cost €61 for the first 10,000 entrants, €72 after 10,000 and up to 17,000, and €84 after that.

But really, can you put a price on running satisfaction? Sí. Sí se puede.